iOS 12: Getting to know Screen Time and stronger parental controls

With iOS 12 , Apple is doing its best to curb smartphone addiction and give users more tools to quantify just how much time is spent on our iOS devices.

Not only will your iOS device begin telling you how much time you spend (or waste) on your phone or tablet, but it will give you tools to help you tame your desire to be always connected.

Screen Time

From screenshots and the keynote, we can gather that Screen Time will provide deep insights into how much a person uses their iOS devices.

For example, not only does it show how much time is spent on the device in general, but it breaks it down by specific app and app category. Gaming, entertainment and social networking are just a few examples.

Going further, Screen Time will also break down how often you pick up your phone, which apps you used the most after picking up your phone, and how many notifications are received based on a per-app basis.

App Limits

Taking all of these insights from Screen Time, users can then set time limits for app categories or specific apps on a 24-hour basis. Once your time limit is up, you are locked out of the app until the following day.

Downtime

Inside the Screen Time, settings page is an option called Downtime. Users can set a scheduled time at which the device essentially locks itself down, restricting access to a handful of apps like Phone, Messages, and FaceTime. Users can pick which apps are allowed during downtime, or override the setting with a passcode should he or she need access to an app for some reason.

Activating Downtime at bedtime, for example, is a convenient way to force yourself to stop checking Facebook, Twitter, or even work email.

Parental Controls

Through a combination of Apple's Family Sharing feature and Screen Time, parents are able to take more control over a child's iOS device(s). Weekly reports are sent to the parent, which he or she can use to regulate how much time is spent by a child in a given app or category, as well as on the device in general.

Parents can also remotely schedule when Downtime is active, essentially locking a child out of all iOS devices at bedtime.